Curtain protector



June 17, 194-1. E -"g" 2,246,382

CURTAIN PROTECTOR Filed April 25, 1940 ATTO R N E Y5 Patented June 17, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention. relates to curtain protectors, and has for an object to provide a simple and effective means for fastening to the stick or bar at the lower end of a window shade to prevent the end of the bar catching in a curtain hung in front of the shade and tearing the curtain when the shade is lowered.

With the foregoing and other objects in View I have devised a device one form of which is shown in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification. It is, however, to be understood that I am not limited to the exact construction shown, but that various changes and modifications may be employed within the scope of the invention.

In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation looking toward a window over which is hung a curtain and a shade behind the curtain having my device applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the window of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing a section of the lower end of the shade and how the device protects the curtain as the shade is lowered;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the device on a larger scale showing'it applied to the stick or bar at the lower end of a shade; and

Fig. 5 is a view looking from the right of Fig. 4 and showing the shade and the stick or bar in section.

It is common practice to have curtains depending over a window from rods at the top of the window frame and to have the shade mounted behind these curtains on a roller at the top of the window, the shade being either inside the window frame or on the front thereof. With such arrangements, if great care is not exercised when lowering the shade by grasping the stick or bar at the lower end thereof and pulling it downward, the opposite ends of this stick or bar are apt to catch in the folds of the curtains or the tieback used to hold the lower portions of the curtains,and thus either tear the material of the curtains or the tieback or pull these tiebacks loose. I have devised a simple and effective device which can be easily and quickly applied at the ends of the stick or bar in the shade, which when the shade is drawn downwardly will engage the curtains or the tiebacks and force them outwardly sufficient to permit the bar at the lower end of the shade to pass downwardly in the lowering operation without its ends catching in the curtains or the tiebacks thus protecting the curtains and the tiebacks.

ally has a loop H in which is a wooden stick or bar 18 to retain the lower end of the shade straight and to provide stiffening for it. There is usually a depending hand grip l9 to be grasped in raising and lowering the shade. The lower portions of the curtains may be held back by suitable tiebacks 20 of any suitable material,

usually in the form of loops embracing the curtains and secured by a tack or other suitable means 2| to the frame.

If care is not taken when grasping the grip IE1 or bar [8 and pulling the shade downwardly this bar is usually shifted outwardly toward the curtain and tipped somewhat as shown in Fig. 3, causing the ends of the bar or stick Hi to catch in the folds of the curtain or the loop of the tieback 2i] and tear the materials of which they are made, thus injuring the curtain and interfering with the proper lowering of the shade. My device prevents this by engaging the curtain .or tieback so that the end of the stick cannot catch in them.

It may be made in various forms and constructions, but a simple and effective construction is shown in the drawing as comprising a body element 22 adapted to be mounted on the bar or stick I8 adjacent the end thereof. In the form shown it comprises a clip made of flat resilient metal having a front portion 23 to engage the front of the bar I8, or the shade loop embracing the bar, and extending at its lower end backwardly under the bar and then upwardly at 24 and then. forwardly and downwardly at 25. This through the resilient action of the metal provides a spring clip which may be slid over the bar either from the end thereof or from its lower edge to the position shown in the drawing, and because of the resilient action of the metal will grip the bar and hold itself in position thereon.

A protecting element 25 is connected to the upper portion of this body member and extends forwardly and downwardly therefrom and back under the bar when in normal position. It is preferably pivoted to the upper portion of the body member and may comprise either a flat strip of metal or a single wire or a wire loop. It preferably comprises a wire loop as shown with the upper ends of the sides of the loop bent inwardly as shown at 2'! and seated in the folded over end 23 of the body member to pivot the member 26 ther on. The loop may be widened by bending the depending side members outwardly as indicated at so that the loop will extend beyond the free end la of the bar or stick Hi. This protecting element may have different shapes, but it is preferably curved forwardly and downwardly in front of the bar It as shown in Fig. 5, and then backwardly under the bar at its lower end. The weight of this loop will cause it to hang from its pivot it in the proper depending position, but if desired an ornament and weight comprising for example a chain or this chain with a ball 3i, may depend from the lower end of the member 25, and the weight of the chain and ball will assist in retaining the element 25 in the proper depending position.

A pair of these devices would be used, one on each end of the bar 68. In operation as the bar I8 is drawn downwardly to lower the shade the curved loop will prevent the ends of the bar catching in the curtain or the loop of the tieback. Even if in the lowering operation the bar it is drawn forwardly or rocked out of its usual position, as is commonly the case, the loop 26 will retain its depending position in all positions of the bar, and if the lower edge of the bar is rocked forwardly the lower free end of the loop 25 will swing back under the lower edge of the bar and prevent the ends of the bar catching in the curtain or loop. It is important that the loop be so shaped or curved that its lower free end always passes back under the lower edge of the bar so that this lower end of the loop will always compensate for the forward movement of the lower edge of the bar. Thus in the operation. of lowering the shade the loop 25; always automatically assumes a position where it will contact the curtain as indicated in Fig. 3 and glide by it so that there is no chance of the end of the bar catching in the curtain. It has the same action with respect to the tieback loop Ell, as it will contact the rear of the loop and merely deflect it forward ly so that the ends of the bar or stick it merely pass downwardly behind the curtain and tiebaclzs without catching in them and without tearing or injuring them in any way. The loop 25 automatically maintains itself in proper position at all times.

It will be seen this is a very simple device which may be manufactured at small cost, be quickly and easily applied to the shade stick, and being hidden by the curtain is not conspicuous. It may be made ornamental to add to the appearance of the shade.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. A curtain protector comprising a body member adapted for mounting on the bar at the lower end of a window shade adjacent the end of the bar, and a protecting element mounted on said body adjacent the upper end thereof and curved forwardly and downwardly therefrom to engage a curtain in front of the shade as the shade is lowered and} force the curtain forwardly to prevent the end of the stick catching in the curtain.

2. A curtain protector comprising a body memaeeaeea ber adapted for mounting on the bar at the lower end of a window shade adjacent the end of said bar, and a protecting element pivoted to said body adjacent the top thereof and depending from said pivot, said element being curved forwardly and downwardly from said pivot and then backwardly under the bar to engage a curtain in front of the shade as the shade is lowered to prevent the end of the bar catching in the cur tain.

3. A curtain protector comprising a body member adapted for mounting on the bar or stick at the lower end of a window shade adjacent the end of the bar. and a protecting element comprising a wire loop pivoted to the upper portion of the body member and arranged to extend beyond the end of the bar, said element extending forwardly and downwardly from pivot and ba-ckwardly under the ear to engage a curtain in front of the shade as the shade is lowered to prevent the end of the bar catching in the curtain.

4. A curtain protector comprising a spring clip adapted to receive and grip the bar at the lower end of a window shade adjacent the end thereof to mount the clip on said bar, and a protecting element pivoted to said clip adjacent the top thereof and extending forwardly and downwardly in front of the bar and then backwardly under said bar to engage a curtain in front of the shade as the shade is lowered to prevent the end of the bar catching in the ourtain.

5. A curtain protector comprising a spring clip adapted to receive and grip the bar at the lower end of a window shade adjacent the end thereof to mount the clip on said bar, and a protecting element comprising wire loop pivoted to said clip adjacent the top thereof, said loop being curved outwardly and downwardly fromv said pivot and then backwardly under the clip.

6. A curtain protector including a body element comprising means for mounting it on the bar at the lower end of a window shade adjacent an end of said bar, a protecting element pivoted to said body adjacent the upper end thereof and curved outwardly and downwardly from said pivot and then backwardly under the body, and a weight connected to the lower end of the protecting element and depending therefrom to assist in retaining the element in depending position.

7. A curtain protector comprising a protecting element adapted for mounting on the bar at the lower end of a window shade adjacent the end of the bar, means for mounting said element on the bar, and said element being curved downwardly and forwardly from the upper part of the bar to engage a curtain in front of the shade as the shade is lowered and force the curtain forwardly to prevent the end of the stick catching in the curtain.

8. A curtain protector comprising a member adapted for mounting on the bar at the lower end of a window shade adjacent the end of said bar, and a protecting element pivoted to said member and depending therefrom, said element being curved forwardly and downwardly from the upper part of the bar and then baclzwardly under the bar to engage a curtain in front of the shade as the shade is lowered to prevent the end of the bar catching in the curtain.

JOHN E. PRATT. 

